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Topic: Bottom or Top?? (Read 1182 times)

From what I read...when proofing dough in the fridge, that the side of the dough ball that is exposed to air is supposed to be used for the crust side of the pizza and the bottom that was attached to the proofing tray is supposed to be the side that holds the toppings when you stretch out the skins...

Is this a real convention in the Pizza trade?? Or is this another Internet urban ledgend?

Most people don't expose their dough to air until shaping. I, on the other hand, like to expose my NY style dough balls to air for at least half an hour before I knock down the dough. But I don't do this until the dough balls have been out of the fridge for at least an hour. While they're in the fridge, I never leave them exposed to air.

If you do it how I do it, the top side of the dough ball becomes the bottom of the pizza, specifically because the dried, crusty dough is very easy to slide off a peel, usually without even using flour. This also gives the bottom of the crust an interesting texture.

Disclaimer: Don't necessarily believe anything I say here. My brain ain't quite right anymore (unless it is). If I come off as rude or argumentative, that's probably not my intention. Rather, that's just me being honest, to myself and everyone else; partly because I don't have enough time left to BS either you or myself. If you are offended by anything I say, it's probably because you think lying to people (to be "polite") is a good idea. I don't.

Is this a real convention in the Pizza trade?? Or is this another Internet urban ledgend?

I've seen this done in at least a few pizzerias in New York, and one of them was my favorite pizzeria. (Ray's of Greenwich Village, on 6th Av and 11th Street. They closed last year, but not because their pizza wasn't good. Google it.)

Disclaimer: Don't necessarily believe anything I say here. My brain ain't quite right anymore (unless it is). If I come off as rude or argumentative, that's probably not my intention. Rather, that's just me being honest, to myself and everyone else; partly because I don't have enough time left to BS either you or myself. If you are offended by anything I say, it's probably because you think lying to people (to be "polite") is a good idea. I don't.

scott123

This is one area that I haven't watched that closely, so I can't comment on how NY pizzeria owners do it. I get the feeling, like most things, that they probably don't care.

I do know, from my own experience, that the bottom of the dough is pitted/not that aesthetically pleasing, so if I use the top of the dough for my rim, I get a prettier rim. This is also a strong impetus to ferment in trays rather than in containers, since it maximizes the smooth, top of the dough, surface area.

Disclaimer: Don't necessarily believe anything I say here. My brain ain't quite right anymore (unless it is). If I come off as rude or argumentative, that's probably not my intention. Rather, that's just me being honest, to myself and everyone else; partly because I don't have enough time left to BS either you or myself. If you are offended by anything I say, it's probably because you think lying to people (to be "polite") is a good idea. I don't.